Means for sealing the waste water aperture of a fluid compartment

ABSTRACT

A strainer for a waste water aperture in a fluid compartment. The strainer has an upper end with a flange extending outwardly from the upper end and a downwardly extending wall. Positioned between the flange and the bottom of the fluid compartment is a compressible sealing member that secures the strainer to the fluid compartment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A strainer in the plumbing field is the threaded fitting in the bottom of a sink, bathtub, or the like through which waste water flows from the receptacle. Strainers usually have valves or the like which control the gravity flow of water therethrough. All the valve assemblies are threadably mounted within a threaded aperture located in the strainer.

Existing strainers have a vertically disposed externally threaded sleeve which engage corresponding threads on a fitting adjacent a vertically disposed aperture in the bottom of the water receptacle. The upper end of the sleeve terminates in a circular horizontal flange which engages and is sealed with plumber's putty to the bottom of the receptacle around the aperture in the bottom of the receptacle. A hub with a threaded bore and with radially extending spokes is often located in a horizontal plane in the bottom of the strainer to support various closure valves.

Installation of the strainer can be a messy project. A plumber applies putty to the bottom surface of the strainer, inserts the sleeve into the aperture of the bottom of the receptacle, and pressure is applied to the flange to seal the strainer against the bottom of the receptacle. Due to the pressure, excess putty spreads outside the outer perimeter of the flange and must be wiped away. Thus, a need exists for a better way to install a strainer.

Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide a strainer that is easier to install.

This and other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A strainer to be placed in the bottom of a fluid compartment. The strainer has an upper end with a flange extending outwardly from the upper end and a downwardly extending wall. The wall extends through an aperture in the bottom of the compartment. A compressible sealing member is positioned between the flange and the bottom of the fluid compartment to secure the strainer to the fluid compartment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a bathtub with a waste water strainer located in the bottom thereof;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a strainer; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a strainer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Numeral 10 designates a fluid compartment or receptacle such as a tub or a sink. Compartment 10 has a bottom 12 with an interior bottom surface 14. A waste water aperture 16 is located in bottom 12 and in a preferred embodiment has a shoulder 18 that surrounds the lower portion of the aperture.

A waste water strainer 20 has an upper end 22 from which a horizontal circular flange 24 extends. Preferably, the outer perimeter 26 of the flange 24 engages the interior bottom surface 14. The strainer 20 has a downwardly extending cylindrical wall 28 and external threads 30. In a preferred embodiment the strainer 20 has a center hub 32 having a vertically disposed threaded aperture 34 that is located at the bottom of the strainer 20. A plurality of radially extending arms 36 connect the center hub 32 with the interior bottom portion of cylindrical wall 28.

A compressible sealing member 38 is positioned between the flange 24 of the strainer 20 and the interior bottom surface 14 of the compartment 10. The sealing member 38 extends around wall 28 to form a seal between the strainer 20 and the aperture 16 of the compartment 10. Preferably, the sealing member is made of an EVA® foam which compresses to nearly zero. In an alternative embodiment, other foams are used for the sealing member.

FIG. 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the compressible sealing member 38. In this embodiment compressible sealing member 38 is positioned between the flange 24 of the strainer 20 and the interior bottom surface 14 of the compartment 10. The sealing member 38 extends around wall 28 to form a seal between the strainer 20 and the aperture 16 of the compartment 10. The sealing member 38 additionally extends along the downwardly extending cylindrical wall 28 and wraps around the bottom of the fluid compartment to engage the bottom surface of the bottom 12 of component 10 to form the sealing surface. Thus, the sealing member 38 extends around the bottom 12 as one piece and extends around wall 28 to form a seal between the strainer 20 and the bottom 12 of compartment 10.

From the disclosure, a strainer that is easier to install has been shown. The use of the sealing member eliminates the need for messy plumber's putty.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other various modifications could be made to the device without the parting from the spirit in scope of this invention. All such modifications and changes fall within the scope of the claims and are intended to be covered thereby. 

1. In combination with a fluid compartment having a bottom with a strainer mounted in an aperture in the bottom: the strainer having an upper end with a flange extending outwardly from the upper end and a downwardly extending wall; and a compressible sealing member positioned between the flange and the bottom of the fluid compartment to form a seal between the strainer and the aperture of the fluid compartment.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the compressible sealing member is EVA® foam.
 3. In combination with a fluid compartment having a bottom having a bottom surface with a strainer mounted in an aperture in the bottom: the strainer having an upper end with a flange extending outwardly from the upper end and a downwardly extending wall; and a compressible sealing member positioned between the flange and the bottom of the fluid compartment and extending along the downwardly extending wall and around the bottom of the fluid compartment to engage the bottom surface of the bottom of the fluid compartment to form a seal between the strainer and the aperture of the fluid compartment. 